Hire a freelance UX designer

Hire the right freelance UX or Product designer in 5 hours

Roy van Balen: UX designer recruiter and broker, after 20 years in UX.

Hiring a freelance designer with the right experience and skillset can cost a lot of your time. Even with a recruiter, as they are usually not equipped to assess designers. That's why I started Found UX in 2019.

Roy van Balen: UX designer recruiter and broker, after 20 years in UX.

Three-in-one solution

I developed a hybrid approach in which I not only handle the recruitment but also 95% of the candidate assessment, and I have spent years refining it.

The problem

Most recruiters can't assess UX designers

Assessing UX designers requires specialist knowledge that can only be gained by practicing the craft itself. Recruiters typically lack that experience.

My background

I was a UX designer and design lead for 20 years

I designed apps, web apps, websites, design systems, and physical products for more than 50 organisations like Philips, Adidas, Schiphol en Rabobank.

The solution

UX recruitment + skill assessment + contracting

Ik werf hoogwaardige kandidaten én neem 95% van de vakinhoudelijke beoordeling voor mijn rekening. Opdrachtgevers nemen meestal de eerste kandidaat 1 aan.

Lower rates

I run Found UX solo. There are no managers, employees, nor a massive office space. Because my overhead is lower, I don't need to build as many costs into my hourly rate.

In addition, many freelancers offer a discounted rate to me. This means you often pay the same hourly rate as you would hire them directly.

Recruitment agencies
Design agencies
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Expertise
Recruitment
Design
Both
Costs included in hourly rate
Yes
Yes
Yes
Including skill assessment
No
Yes
Yes
Organisation / overhead
Larger
Larger
Smaller
Hourly rates
Higher
Higher
Lower

Less noise

I work autonomously during the recruitment and the assessment. After the intake, you continue to work undisturbed. We won't be in touch until I have found an excellent match.

1. Intake

1 hour

We map out the context

I ask you the right questions and develop a converting vacancy.

2. Source

I recruit the right designers

From my network, LinkedIn jobs, and the Found UX network.

3. Assess

I assess all of them technically

I will present the top 2 and share who my favorite is.

4. Choose

3 hours

You assess the top 2 & choose

Additional candidates and interview rounds are no problem.

5. Contract

1 hour

Hire safely via Found UX

Together, we ensure it's done in compliance with the DBA Act.

Smooth experience

I strive for an optimal experience for clients and candidates. I leverage my knowledge of UX and service design to ensure a pleasant, clear, and high-quality process.

I keep the leaders I work with out of the spotlight. For that reason, this testimonial has been anonymised.

Curious to know who it is? I have permission to share that with other leaders.

Lead product designer

Genuinely impressive

We were hiring for a Product Designer role, and had been searching for several months without finding the right fit. It was a tough, frustrating process.

Roy turned that around fast. He understood exactly what we needed right away, put together a really solid vacancy, and had a strong candidate in front of us within the first week.

By the second week, the offer was accepted and signed. The whole process, start to finish, took less than two weeks.

It was fast, efficient, and genuinely impressive. I'd recommend Roy to any leader trying to fill a product designer role.

I keep the leaders I work with out of the spotlight. For that reason, this testimonial has been anonymised.

Curious to know who it is? I have permission to share that with other leaders.

Head of product

(Super) fast

We were trying to hire a Senior Product Designer already for over 6 months, going through 2 extensive rounds, without a positive outcome.

Seeing his own background in UX we understood this could be different and we took the plunge. And how happy are we that we did!

After a thorough intake, a well thought through vacancy and even some weekend work, Roy had already found a great candidate within a week. Conversations were planned immediately and we made an offer in the same week.

Roy was great to work with: positive, knowledgeable, critical and (super) fast. I would definitely recommend him.

I keep the leaders I work with out of the spotlight. For that reason, this testimonial has been anonymised.

Curious to know who it is? I have permission to share that with other leaders.

Head of product

Great fit

I am the Head of Product at a medtech startup in Amsterdam. We have a suite of applications for medical professionals.

Roy helped us hire a Product Designer for a permanent position in our company. Having worked with Roy himself as a Product Designer in the past, I know firsthand the depth of his expertise. It clearly shows in how he identifies talent.

He provided high-quality candidates; I just needed to take the last step. He offloaded a tremendous amount of work for us, which is exactly what I was looking for: subject matter knowledge and effectiveness.

The designer we hired through Roy was a great fit. Great skills, and a great match with our company culture. If you're looking to hire UX professionals in the Netherlands, Roy is the person to talk to.

I keep the leaders I work with out of the spotlight. For that reason, this testimonial has been anonymised.

Curious to know who it is? I have permission to share that with other leaders.

Lead product designer

Best I’ve worked with

I'm a Product Designer with 16 years of experience. Throughout my career, I've applied for many UX roles and worked with numerous recruiters. My experience with Roy has been by far the best.

It's clear that he is an experienced UX professional himself, which sets him apart. His expertise in UX shaped the way he approached the process. Everything was thoughtfully structured, unlike anything I've experienced with other recruiters.

If you are a UX leader in the Netherlands considering working with Roy, don't hesitate. He is the best I've worked with so far.

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Did you hire or contract a UX professional through Found UX?

Find out if I can help you too

Are you considering my help to hire a UX professional? If so, please start by scheduling a 10-minute call. After the call, you will have all the information you need to decide at your own pace whether you would like to proceed.

No-obligations

10 min

10-minute call

We will briefly discuss your situation, the type of designer you are looking for, and your timeline. And I will give you insight in my approach, the costs, and the expected turnaround time.

300+ companies and agencies

from 10 to 10,000 employees

For 7 years, I have been helping teams across various growth stages and design contexts to hire the best UX and product design professionals. From SaaS startups, scale-ups, and digital agencies to large national and international organisations.

+300 other organisations